112 (emergency telephone number)

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112 (emergency telephone number) Logo-notruf-112-europaweit.svg
112 (emergency telephone number)
Operator in Krakow responding to a 112 phone call Centrum Powiadamiania Ratunkowego w Krakowie 4.JPG
Operator in Kraków responding to a 112 phone call

112 is a common emergency telephone number that can be dialed free of charge from most mobile telephones, and in some countries, fixed telephones in order to reach emergency services (ambulance, fire and rescue, police).

Contents

112 is a part of the GSM standard and all GSM-compatible telephone handsets are able to dial 112 even when locked or, in some countries, with no SIM card present. It is also the common emergency number in nearly all member states of the European Union as well as several other countries of Europe and the world. 112 is often available alongside other numbers traditionally used in the given country to access emergency services. In some countries, calls to 112 are not connected directly but forwarded by the GSM network to local emergency numbers (e.g., 911 in North America, 999 in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, and 000 in Australia).

Origins

A "cocaine alert" sign posted by GGD Amsterdam: the sign reminds people to "Call 112 for an ambulance." Cocaine alert Amsterdam.JPG
A "cocaine alert" sign posted by GGD Amsterdam: the sign reminds people to "Call 112 for an ambulance."

112 was first standardised as the pan-European number for emergency services following the adoption of recommendation [1] by the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) in 1976 and has since been enshrined a CEPT Decision ECC/DEC/(17)05. [2]

The European Emergency Number Association, [3] founded in 1999, an organization of emergency services representatives and others, has campaigned for an efficient 112 service all over Europe on behalf of European citizens. EENA continues to promote awareness of 112 as a core element of its mission.

This choice of number has been cited in logical terms as offering the following advantages:

Implementation

112 on a lifeguard tower in Pajara, Spain Lifeguard tower - Morro Jable.jpg
112 on a lifeguard tower in Pájara, Spain
Implementation of the two International Telecommunication Union approved emergency telephone numbers in the world: .mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} 112 911 112 and 911 Other number, no redirection or redirection for mobile phones only Emergency telephone numbers in the world.svg
Implementation of the two International Telecommunication Union approved emergency telephone numbers in the world:
  112
  911
  112 and 911
  Other number, no redirection or redirection for mobile phones only

After adoption in continental Western Europe, other countries began to use the 112 number for emergencies. Nations that have adopted it (including as a redirect alongside a pre-existing other emergency number) include:

Africa

Asia

Europe

North America

Oceania / Australia

South America

In many countries, emergency numbers previously used also continue to be available; e.g. 061 and 112 in Spain, 999 and 112 both function in Ireland and the UK. In the United States, only some carriers, including AT&T will map the number 112 to its emergency number 911.

Adoption

The number is also adopted by candidates for EU accession and members of the EEA agreement.

The International Telecommunication Union recommends that member states selecting a primary or secondary emergency number choose either 911, 112 or both. [22] 112 is one of two numbers (the other being the region's own emergency number) that can be dialed on most GSM phones even if the phone is locked. [23]

European Union

112 is managed and financed in the European Union by each member state (country), who also decide on the organization of the emergency call centres.

EU legislation

Adopted in July 1991, the Council Decision 91/396/EC introduced ‘112’ as the European emergency number. The Open Network Provision Directive in 1998, the Universal Service Directives in 2002 and 2009 and finally the European Electronic Communications Code in 2018 further specified how 112 should work in the European Union. By the European Electronic Communications Code, everyone in the European Union should be able to contact the emergency services by using the European emergency number ‘112’ free of charge wherever they are in the European Union. Member States are also required to make sure that access to the emergency services for people with disabilities is equivalent to that enjoyed by other end-users.

E112

E112 is a location-enhanced version of 112. [24] This obligation was strengthened with the European Electronic Communications Code in 2018 which requires the location to include both network-based and handset-derived location information. It is now possible for emergency services to retrieve accurate location information of the caller with the Advanced Mobile Location [25] technology. The eCall feature for automated emergency calls on crash, mandatory on European cars since April 2018, is based on E112. [26]

Reverse 112

Reverse 1-1-2 is a public safety communications technology used by public safety organizations throughout the world to communicate with groups of people in a defined geographic area. Reverse 112 allows authorities to rapidly warn those in danger, directly through their mobile phones. Article 110 of the European Electronic Communications Code makes it mandatory for all Member States of the European Union to deploy, by June 2022, a system that enables public authorities to immediately warn all the people present in a determined area of an ongoing or developing threat directly on their mobile phones. This objective can be achieved with either the Cell Broadcast or the Location-based SMS technology.

European 112 Day

The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission signed a tripartite convention in 2009 in order to introduce an annual European 112 Day. It is supposed to raise awareness for the Europe-wide availability and the advantages of the European emergency call 112. They chose 11 February since the date includes the telephone number (11/2). [27] A wide variety of events take place around Europe every year to celebrate European 112 Day. [28]

Expert Groups on 112

Getting 112 to work across the EU is a complex task. It requires in particular coordination between civil protection administrations (the emergency authorities who handle the call) and electronic communications administrations (who have to make sure that a 112 call reaches the emergency operator). That is why the European Commission decided to act at European level and set up the Expert Group on Emergency Access (EGEA) at the end of 2005. The group met for the last time in May 2013.

In 2020, the European Commission set up the Expert Group on Emergency Communications (EG112) with the task to assist the European Commission in the preparation of new legislations on the matter and exchange views on how emergency communications are handled within the European Union. [29]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ "Recommendation T/SF 1: Long Term Standardisation of National Numbering Plans" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "ECC Decision of 2 March 2018 on the harmonised prefixes and short codes in national numbering plans". Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  3. ↑ "EENA | The European Emergency Number Association". EENA. Archived from the original on 17 June 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  4. ↑ Mobiles blamed for emergency calls Archived 4 March 2003 at the Wayback Machine , BBC News, 2000-03-21.
  5. ↑ Such locks were commonly used, e.g. "ABUS Telefonschloß T70 für Wählscheiben" in Germany.
  6. ↑ "911 and 112 are the world's standard emergency numbers, ITU decides". The Verge. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  7. ↑ "Ghana announces 112 as new general emergency number". 3news.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  8. ↑ "Maroc. Ces numéros que vous devez avoir en cas d'urgence". Challenge. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  9. ↑ Sidiguitiebe, Christophe (15 November 2015). "Le numéro d'urgence de « Police secours » s'améliore". Telquel.ma (in French). Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  10. ↑ "Emergency Telephone Numbers Around the World". ChartsBin. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  11. ↑ "Emergency Response Support System in India - 112.gov.in". 112.gov.in. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Communication and Informatics Ministry (Kemenkominfo) made a call center for emergency responses at 112". indonesia.go.id. Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  13. ↑ "ABOUT CALL CENTER 112". layanan112.kominfo.go.id. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  14. ↑ sanduir (8 May 2013). "112 in Belgium". Digital Single Market - European Commission. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  15. ↑ sanduir (11 February 2013). "112 in Bulgaria". Digital Single Market - European Commission. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  16. ↑ sanduir (11 February 2013). "112 in the Czech Republic". Digital Single Market - European Commission. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  17. ↑ sanduir (11 February 2013). "112 in Denmark". Digital Single Market - European Commission. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  18. ↑ "112 - ERC Number in Finland". Emergency Response Centre Agency - Finland. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  19. ↑ For more information, see list of provinces
  20. ↑ ȘTIRILE, PUBLIKA.MD - AICI SUNT (29 June 2018). "112 service will be more efficient on emergency calls". Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "Dialling 911 instead of 111 still does the trick". Stuff. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  22. ↑ "Guidelines to select Emergency Number for public telecommunications networks" (PDF). International Telecommunication Union. 15 May 2008. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  23. ↑ 3rd Generation Partnership Project (June 2002), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Man-Machine Interface (MMI) of the Mobile Station (MS);Service description, Stage 1 (Release 1998) (PDF), vol. 3GPP TS 02.30 V7.1.1, archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2013, retrieved 1 December 2018
  24. ↑ "Locating you in an emergency – what you need to know about E112". European GNSS Agency. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  25. ↑ "Advanced Mobile Location". European Emergency Number Association (EENA). Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  26. ↑ "ECall - Mobility and transport - European Commission". Mobility and transport. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  27. ↑ Joint Tripartite Declaration Establishing A "European 112 Day" Archived 17 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine , Press release by the Council of Europe, 10 February 2009
  28. ↑ "112 Day 2021,European Emergency Number Association(EENA)". Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  29. ↑ Commission Expert Group on Emergency Communications (E03715), European Commission, last update on 9 October 2020
  30. ↑ "National Emergency Number Association". www.nena.org. Archived from the original on 19 December 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2019.

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